Colas awarded Highways England Blue Star Award for Innovation In Safety
Colas identified a potential safety risk with removable magnetic Chapter 8 Chevrons that are traditionally used for cars visiting worksites.
Together with Farnborough Signs, they developed an innovative solution for the problem.
Changes in car manufacturing specifications in recent years have resulted in car boots no longer being all metal but including plastic panels as well. This automotive advance meant that the magnetic Chapter 8 chevrons attached to car boots would not work on plastic boots, which posed a potential safety risks.
The new Chapter 8 Chevrons they came up with are versatile and can be cut to size and easily attached with both suction cups and straps, alleviating the risk of them coming loose of falling off.
“We are delighted to receive this award as safety is our priority” said John Thompson, Executive Director of Contracting at Colas, “the new Chapter 8 Chevrons are easy to fit and ensure that anyone from Colas out on site, is not only meeting the requirements, but is also highly visible. As a company we understand that people using company cars don’t necessarily want permanent chevrons on their vehicles when they are commuting to and from work, so these new ones are ideal.”
The new chevrons have been trialled on the M3 Project where Colas is working for Balfour Beatty on a Smart Motorway covering 15.5 miles of carriageway from junctions 4a to 2.